Just Maybe
by zombieslayer5
Summary: Asher is almost twelve years old, and has lived with her cousins Daryl and Merle Dixon for as long as she can remember. When she gets a detention, she meets her polar opposite, Sophia Peletier. But maybe, with a common goal in mind, the girls might be able to make things work.


**A/N: 'Tis the season of the dreaded hiatus, you guys. But, my favorite thing about Winter is Winter break. So, this next week being my last week before winter break, I figured I could start a story to work on during break. I hope you like it, I'm not sure where it's going yet. **

**Disclaimer: I wish **

**Chapter 1: **

Asher skidded through the front door, hoping no one was home to catch her coming in over a half hour late. Again.

Taking the crumpled piece of paper from her backpack, she made sure to tear it to tiny shreds of pink confetti before throwing it away. Another detention was the last thing she needed Daryl finding out about. That and the visit to the principal's office that had caused her to come home late for the third time this week. Today was Thursday.

After making sure the detention slip was unrecognizable, Asher headed outside. It was mid- November and everything was cooling down. If there was one thing Asher hated more than school, it was cold weather.

The backyard was more of a cove, with forestry spanning on all sides. Starting out thin, the trees were spread far enough apart that there was a clear view deeper into the greenery, and more light shined through. A few slumping houses were scattered off a bit of a distance away, though Asher could barely recollect seeing any of the people that lived in them. The further into the woods you went, however, the denser the forest became, with less light filtering through and thicker trees.

She was surprised to see Daryl out back, elbow deep in the stomach of a buck. She hadn't seen his truck out front. Before she could turn and take off in the opposite direction, the familiar, gravely voice called out at her,

"C'mere."

Asher grimaced, stopping at the edge of the wooden picnic table, where a splatter of deer blood suddenly seemed extremely interesting and in need of her full attention.

"Was expecting ya almost an hour ago," he drawled in that rumbling tone that suggested she wasn't exactly in his good graces at the moment.

She opened her mouth,

"Don't try'n lie," he cut her off, "I know where you were."

Asher's jaw tightened. Damn principal.

Daryl exhaled loudly, wiping his hands on his pants. Asher braced herself for a tongue lashing, but all that came out was another sigh,

"Yer almost twelve, Ash. Ya know better than this." Daryl sounded tired, exasperated, disappointed.

Asher fought to hold her tongue. She wanted to tell Daryl why she had beat up that stupid Nate Smith. She wanted to tell him all the things Nate had told everyone in class about him and Merle. She wanted to explain that she had done it to defend her family.

But, she knew that would be no use. So she stood there, stone faced, waiting for more.

But nothing more came. Daryl just shook his head, he didn't even look angry. Just disappointed. In a way, Asher found that worse.

"Ya have homework?" Daryl asked, his voice even but stern.

She knew better than to even try and deny it.

"Then I suggest ya go do it."

The next morning, Daryl walked through the door to his job at the One Stop Mart. It was a small, three pump gas station, with a little convenience store attached. It had been on the corner of Main and Trail for as long as he could remember, and it's age showed. A sagging roof, splotched with more than a dozen water spots, he had counted one time, and an all around drooping frame complete with cracked windows and chipped linoleum floors that had lost it's shine long ago.

A new shipment of cigarettes were sitting behind the counter on a skid, waiting for him. He slashed the plastic and got to work, filing the cartons into their assigned slots. Palmal over there, Newport over here, Malboro right around there.

"Dixon,"

Daryl rolled his eyes. He could hear the shoes of the store manager, Ron, coming up behind him. Daryl guessed Ron was only about middle aged, with slightly graying hair, trying to look professional in a clip on tie.

Daryl turned, blinking when he saw two people instead of one.

"This here is Carol Peletier," Ron informed him, gesturing to the small lady next to him, "She'll be your shift partner from now on."

Before Daryl could get any questions out Ron was gone, disappearing into the back room and shutting the door behind him, leaving Carol Peletier looking like a deer in headlights standing in front of him.

Carol Peletier was a small lady, Daryl noticed as he sized her up. He was over a head taller than her. Her hair was a shiny gray, more gray than Ron's, shorter than Ron's, too. Hell, shorter than his. Her thin frame consisted of rounded shoulders and long, bony fingers. She looked like she could break at the slightest shove.

Daryl went back to stocking the smokes, assuming the lady would come behind the counter and figure out what she needed to do. When a minute or so passed Daryl looked back at her and seen she hadn't moved an inch. She was stiff as a board, wringing her hands nervously and looking up at him with big, confused eyes. He couldn't help but notice the shade of green they were.

He handed her a clipboard, "Go take inventory," he grunted, pointing off in the direction of a wall of shelves. When she hesitated he turned his back to her once more, slamming the cartons down in the slots.

Let her figure it out her damn self.

That afternoon Asher took her time walking to the library, where detention was held. She touched every locker and made it a game of stepping on every single tile she crossed. By the time she reached the library she was almost ten minutes late. Ten minutes down, fifty to go.

Asher could barely believe what was right in front of her eyes. A lanky, strawberry blonde haired girl wearing a raggedy rainbow shirt and tan khakis was sitting at the back table, first seat on the left.

Some girl was sitting in _her seat._

**A/N: I know this chapter wasn't very long, but it's more of an introduction. I want to see how this installment goes over. **


End file.
